In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the sale and use of hydrotherapy systems. They provide a pleasant massaging effect for the user, stimulate blood circulation and afford a sense of relaxation, comfort and luxury. While increased use has occurred in commercial applications, much of the increased use is in the home. Although prior units have been highly successful, there have been certain design shortcomings and problems associated with prior equipment. For one thing, it has been found possible for a user's hair to become trapped in the return fitting. This may result from the hair being drawn into the inlet fitting and becoming entangled around a solid object such as cross members or a brace that extends across the opening. If hair were to become caught in this manner, it could even hold a person under water. On the other hand, some form of screen is required to prevent objects from being drawn into the water return fitting.
Another problem is the undesirable accumulation of water in the circulation pump that results from an inability of the pump to drain completely when the tub is emptied. This can cause corrosion or promote the growth of algae during prolonged periods of nonuse.
Another problem is the requirement for enabling the return fitting to match other components such as faucets, hydrotherapy jet fittings, etc. The matchup is usually made either at the time of the initial installation or at some later time after a visible part of the fitting has become damaged and requires replacement. In the past, this has often required the partial disassembly of the fitting and the replacement of one or more parts. While liners have been proposed for use in therapy components, they have sometimes been difficult to remove and replace and may require the use of tools which make it more difficult, particularly for a homeowner, to install a replacement cap. In view of these deficiencies of the prior art, it is a general objective of the invention to provide an improved water return fitting for use in a hydrotherapy system for a tub or spa in which there is provided an effective means for preventing hair entrapment, for allowing water to drain from circulation pumps and a decorative cover or liner that can be easily and quickly replaced in many cases without the use of tools.
It is also sometimes possible for a part of the user's body to seal the inlet opening of the water return fitting causing discomfort or injury.
These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention by way of example.